His Reflection of Madness
by FantasyxReality
Summary: How did Slenderman come to be. Have you ever wondered? Whether he was always a shadow in the darkness? Or a man who lost himself to madness?


(I do not own the character Slenderman. On that note, I would greatly appreciate feedback as well as continuous views. For I plan to make this story quite long. Anyway, thank you and enjoy.)

A distinct form of a man dressed in a black and white suit stood behind the shadow of a lone tree in the midst of a bustling playground. With an inclined head, he silently watched the dozens of children run through the jungle gym and fields of grass. Their rampage of fun and energy seemed to have no limit and it brought a faint pulse to his heart. Something he rarely felt these days and that was why he came here. Why he spent his afternoons watching them. Because they reminded him so much of her- so lively with laughter and happiness. Quite the opposite of the parents that often accompanied them. With a brief glance to the far side of the playground were the usual parents scattered about on benches. Their faces unlike the children were filled with exhaustion and irritability as they drooped into their cups of coffee or into each other's faces for need of gossip. They were completely uninterested and unobservant to the play of their children. And it infuriated him greatly. _They don't understand… they_ _don't understand how lucky they are_. He thought as his hand began to drift up along his chest, brushing across a slip of paper that sat in his breast pocket before stopping against his heart. It was beating harder than it was before. He was no longer light with pleasantry. But he couldn't help it-this sensation of envy. _Such ignorance… they probably wouldn't even notice if a child disappeared_! It was then that a smile began to curl along his once disapproved lips. For perhaps ignorance was bliss for one of the children could stop, look curiously in his direction and approach him without fear of or restrain from his or her parents. However as he stepped further away from the tree's shadows to test this theory, not a glance was given for the children were far too engrossed in their games to even notice his presence. But for now it didn't bother him. He had finally moved past focusing on the parents and was once again enjoying watching them in all their blissful unawareness. It reminded him once more of how he once was unlike the parents before him. He laughed and played with her. He adored and cherished her. The tips of his fingers slowly slipped into his pocket, clenching at the paper. He loved her... His grip tightened. She was his precious girl... His nails soon began to rip into the first word, "Papa", written sloppily across the paper. Followed by the word, "loves"… At the sight of that word breaking into two between his fingertips, he found himself flooded with blurred memories of the past- of happiness. _Please…make it stop…_ Images of her bright smile. _PLEASE!_ All too soon the sensation of dread and agony both heightened and subsided, leaving him breathless and confused. Grasping onto the tree for balance, he struggled to steady his breathing and gather his thoughts. However with each exhale, the memories began to fade, leaving his mind feeling empty and numb almost as if he was forgetting. Forgetting everything. Lifting his head, he casted his weakened vision back to the children who were still playing- their faces chubby and sweaty with youth. Though they still kept their distance, he could see their smiles. Smiles that threatened to bring about yet another episode. He would need to leave. Lowering his lengthy white appendages, he began to retreat to his home- back into the forest. As he slipped back into the depths of the forest between the trees, his suit that he had worn so many years ago began to expand and distort. With each step he took, the fabric twisted more and writhed into tentacle like shapes. Soon they grew to such great length that he could feel them curling along his shoulders and head almost as if to confine him from the echo of the children's laughter. But their shelter didn't matter for the very sound rang throughout his mind, sending a rippling white pain over his face. This pain of yet another memory- one that held darkness. His knees buckled as each step turned into a stumble, causing his feet to drag across the dirt and disturb the insects that laid buried. The further he got into the forest, the more it felt like the soles of his boots were becoming rooted to the ground. He needed to make it to that clearing before he wouldn't be able to move at all. He needed to be there where he could hear her laughter. Her laughter. "Lila." If only he could say her name. White spider like appendages moved towards his face, grazing the lower part. _What?_ His fingers frantically prodded along the space above his chin where his mouth should've been. Didn't he have a mouth a moment ago?! Desperately he tried to find the muscles of his jaw as if by pressing against them would allow two lips to appear and part revealing a mouth with teeth and a tongue. A mouth that would give him the freedom to finally speak her name- to give him some peace. But he would find no peace. His fingertips moved on to graze over other parts of his face, mimicking the spread of pain from earlier. Had his skin always felt so inhumanly smooth and cold? Breathing heavily, he forced his last bit of energy into a desperate run. Not noticing the slip of paper was beginning to slip from the pocket. With a few more strides, he began to slow down into a leisure pace upon spotting the blackberry bush. Still leafy and fruitful. He longed to gather the berries and taste their sweet juice again. "Papa, have some!" He didn't bother to look around in hopes that she would be there as she was. The only voices he ever heard now were in his head. And yet he couldn't stop himself from whispering a reply. "Of course, sweetheart." With a sad smile, he moved past the bush and onto the familiar path of gravel dotted with warning signs. It was almost ironic now as he passed by the signs. If only he had listened all those years ago. Without a second thought, the man's tall and slender figure burst forward between the narrow girth of the towering trees and he was greeted to the brightness of the clearing. Yet he didn't find himself raising a hand in response to the sudden light. Instead the light appeared rather milky and blurred almost as if he had on lenses. He struggled to ignore the yearning to reach for his eyes for he already knew that he would find them missing just like his mouth. What was he becoming? Lowering down beside his face, one of the fabric tentacles, now a glossy and solid form, curled along his ear as if to whisper the answer. But no words were exchanged instead it was joined by the other tentacles as they encircled along his body except for one that drew towards his chin, slipping underneath. With a brief tug, he found his gaze forcefully lowered to look down at the grass beneath his feet. The grass that was once splashed with stark red from that day. That day where this all began.

The sun beamed down in tremendous rays of bright light, filling the seemingly empty forest below. With its sunshine weaving its way along the brown trunks of massive trees and casting a glow against the deep green of the bobbing leaves, life began to stir. The insects, brushing off the dew of the morning, started to buzz and hum with alertness as the animals, groggy with sleepiness, left their dens and nests to rise with the morning wind. It was at this moment that a tall man, dressed rather inappropriately in a tux, stepped out onto the singular path of gravel and dirt. Despite his sharp aristocratic features, his expression softened into a calm confident grin as his silver eyes dazzled with excitement and streaks of sunlight. He seemed seemingly unaware of the signs staked in the ground before him. Signs that stressed in bold red the dangers travelers would face if they continued on. But the man was a local resident of the nearby town. He knew the forest and he knew it well. Some would even say as well as any woodsman. Perhaps better. For even as a child, he would spent many days and nights amongst the trees that stood like giants. And it was those memories that he often reflected upon with a contented sigh. It's what fueled his hope of having his own child who would find the pleasures of nature as well. "Papa!" And she did. The lofty thoughts of nature and balance instantly snapped as the man's attention returned upon being called so urgently. Stopping his leisure pace, he glanced over to his left where the familiar voice bubbled with enthusiasm for his attention. There nestled in the bushes of blackberries was a small girl, dressed in a white and lavender dress, happily picking at the branches. It almost brought a smile to the man's face to see such an adorable sight. However as his dark eyes traveled to her pretty dress, he clicked his tongue in faint distaste. At first glance he hadn't noticed the stains but now as she wobbled up to him in the sunlight, he could see how ruined the fabric was. Thankfully her lengthy curls of black remained held up with the help of her favorite bows. It was a good thing too since her chubby cheeks were now coated in the juices of the fruit she held in her small hands. "Lila … look at how dirty you've gotten yourself." He chided the child as he bent his tall stature into a more appropriate one for the smaller girl. With a brief lick to his thumb, he dragged it across the giggling child's face in attempts to clean her up. But he couldn't hide the smile that continued to form along the corners of his lips. After all it was his own fault for bringing her out into the dirtiness of nature in such an elegant outfit. "Papa, papa. Look at all the berries I picked." Lila chirped as she shoved her cupped hands into her father's face. The berries, surprisingly, remained plump and full with faint specks of dirt in her dainty palms. "Sweetheart, you should've waited until Papa washed them before eating them." Reaching into his daughter's hand, he gathered a few between his fingertips to further inspect their condition. They weren't too dirty but he still wished the girl wasn't so reckless in her exploring and enjoying. But that was how children were he reminded himself with both a sigh and chuckle. "Papa, have some." The girl urged before shoveling the rest of the berries into her pink mouth. Glancing down at the few he had managed to save for himself, he hurriedly popped them into his wide open mouth to mimic his daughter's enthusiasm. And he instantly understood the girl's love for black berries. As the berries popped between his teeth, the taste of rain and sweetened sunshine filled his tongue. However before he could even tell his daughter how delicious the berries were she had ran off yet again. This time however not to the blackberry bush. _Where has that child ran off to?_ Despite this being an everyday routine with the energized girl, he couldn't help the instant set of dread that filled him. "Lila!" His deep voice echoed loudly throughout the forest, stirring a few animals' attention towards him. He felt rather foolish as he bashfully stood up and began to walk along the path. "Lila." It took a few more calls of her name before he could faintly hear giggling. Silly girl was always messing with him. "Daddy, find me!" Her and her games. "Alright, sweetheart. Monster Papa is coming!" He roared in response of which he earned a louder laugh. She loved it when he acted like a monster during their games. "Come and get me, Monster Papa!" Laughing under his breath, the man lowered himself into a hunched position as he began stomping about- the soles of his black boots dragging and making dramatic footprints in the dirt. He continued this with a roar every so often until finally he reached the end of the path and all that stood before him was a grassy meadow. This worried him. Usually he would've found his daughter before the path's end hidden in the bushes or on the lowest branch of the trees. Though something warned him of this, he brushed it aside. He needed to stop worrying so much. Deciding to allow the girl to continue her sneaky games, he stepped forward, leaving the gravel for the mushy grass. It must have rained at some point. Frowning, he pressed his weight further on the toes of his foot to watch the bubbling of mud mixed rainwater rise from the wet ground along his boot. "When did it rain?" His voice was but a whisper as he bent over to press his nimble fingertips to the grass until the skin became moist and wet. As he pulled away his hand and glanced over his fingers, a sense of horror washed over him. It wasn't water. It wasn't mud. It was… blood. As this realization settled, a sickly heaviness set in his stomach. Stumbling back, he landed harshly in the midst of the messy grass. Instant shock flooded him as he sat there, staring at his bloody hands dripping with red and strands of grass. _How could this be? What… what was going on? _Those thoughts interrupted into his mind as he frantically wiped his dirtied hands along his tux despite most of the suit already being drenched in the thick liquid. "Papa." Hearing a soft voice, he whirled around. "LILA!?" He received nothing but the harsh blow of the wind as he struggled to gather himself. Where was his daughter? Where was Lila? "Lila, the game is over! Come on out now!" He desperately tried to hide the panic from his voice as he looked around the circle of trees that surrounded him, hoping to find his little girl peeking from behind them. But he saw and heard nothing until… "Papa loves the forest. He loves it well. So much I think his heart would swell. For he is at peace in the trees." The voice had returned but this time spoke almost as if singing a nursery rhyme. "Lila…?" Slowly he lifted himself to his feet, feeling a sharp chill running up and down his spine as the voice continued. "Little Lila loves the forest. She loves it well. So much I think her heart would swell. She will be happy in the leaves. Where she will lay sound asleep." What…what do you mean? Who's there?! Where is my daughter!?" Seconds ticked by as a stray cloud suddenly covered the once bright sun, covering the meadow in shadow and turning the grass a murky black. And the horrifying voice continued. "Oh dear, Papa is upset. He must be jealous of his little Princess. For she is a part of the forest now. So Papa, shh, you mustn't be so loud. Just be patient and you'll see. How great you will be. Once you are a part of the forest and their trees." Before he could say another word, the man felt a sharp pain in his leg. Slowly lowering his eyes to the ground, he found himself stunned and petrified at what clung to his ankle. There covered in leaves, grass and blood was his daughter. Her face, no longer dirty with the juice of berries but stained with ink like liquid, stared up at him. Her eyes showed no emotion- not fear or pain as they bored into him. This… can't be Lila... And yet as he watched the grotesque body reach its small hand towards him, he realized with agony that it was his daughter. On her wrist was the bracelet he had given her on her birthday. The small golden band and diamond tree and leaves charms now dangled with muck. "Lila..." Lowering himself onto his knees, his trembling hands reached for the girl. But the girl now showed no intention of embracing him instead she seemed to withdraw further from his arms. "Lila…. Sweetheart… its Papa… Come to Papa…" His voice rasped weakly as tears began brimming along the corners of his eyes. Just a few more inches and he would be able to touch her arm. But as his fingertips barely grazed her sleeve, the voice from earlier appeared behind him. "Papa…" He didn't want to look behind him. He didn't want to see the face of a voice that sounded so much like his daughter. "Please… Lila... come here… We need to go." His daughter before him tilted her head though her eyes remained as empty. Her lips bright red slowly parted to whisper shakily. "Papa..." She wasn't dead. She was his daughter. His beautiful Lila. Hearing his daughter's voice, he lunged forward finally grabbing a hold of her. But as he embraced her tiny body, he felt a cold hand on his shoulder followed by an even colder whisper. "Papa loves…" The last word he never made out as he was suddenly hit with a wave of dizziness. Falling onto his back, his arms fell from his daughter and collapsed at his sides. The last thing he saw before his eyes closed was two girls- one that was his daughter and another that was something darker standing before him. Lila…

He lifted his head from gazing at the grass. The tentacle slowly withdrew from his chin and instead slipped into his pocket to retrieve the crumpled up paper and place it before him. Slowly his eyes focused on the scribbling handwriting, reading what he had avoided reading all these years. "Papa loves us." A small frown formed on his lips as he continued. "Papa loves the forest." A soft voice responded. A voice that brought nightmares and confusion to his days and nights. A voice that ruined his life. "It's almost time Papa… Time for you to be a part of the forest and the trees." A voice that still sounded like his daughter Lila. Slowly turning around, he wasn't surprised to find that same girl from those years ago standing there. Her entire body remained a dark tint of black almost as if the girl bathed regularly in tar or was a living shadow. She certainly wasn't human. "Why?" It was a question he was cursed asking and he wanted an answer. The girl however merely cocked her head as if to be confused by the question. "WHY ME?!" His voice bellowed loudly throughout the forest, sending a harsh wind through the leaves above. But it did nothing to change the girl's expression. She remained still and silent. "Why Lila… Please just tell me why…?" Staggering forward, he approached the girl and collapsed at her feet- the tentacles remaining above his head. "Please…" The girl moved to squat before the man as she cupped his large chin between her clammy palms. "Shh, Papa. Its time." As if on command, the tentacles began to wrap along his body, engulfing him and the girl completely.

"Do… not… enter..." A little girl with brown curls, dressed in a sundress, frowned as she stared at the warning signs dotted on the path. She had followed a man this far into the forest. But now the signs had scared her enough to keep her from taking another step. "Mister, the sign says not to enter." A tall figure turned around to glance back at the girl. Its face but a mask of white showed no evidence of emotion as the writhing tentacles moved towards the girl, beckoning her forward. The girl giggled softly, clearly entertained by their swaying dance. Her bright eyes shined happily as she slowly reached out, taking holding of one. As her small fingers curled along the tip of the tentacle, a deep voice entered her mind with a tone only a loving father could have. _Come along, Lila._


End file.
